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Armando hears the same heartbreaking story over and over: talented Latinas been doing their white boss's job for years, training replacement after replacement, but they're never considered for the promotion because they "lack training." Meanwhile, mainstream fundraising conferences and training programs are designed for wealthy organizations, ignoring the small and medium-sized Latino nonprofits that desperately need support. The result? A sector where Latino leaders are systematically kept out of decision-making roles while being exploited for their labor, passion, and proximity to community.

Armando Zumaya, a 40-year fundraising veteran, is the founder of Somos El Poder, the first Latinx fundraising institute in the United States. He doesn't hold back as he exposes the tokenization, invisibility, and structural barriers that Latinx fundraisers face daily. Armando isn't just here to call out the problem. He's building the solution. In this episode, nonprofit leaders will understanding why creating their own infrastructure, being bold, demanding board diversification, and investing in fundraising are acts of resistance and survival.

Continue the discussion with Armando:

• Visit their website or send an email to armando@somoselpoder.org

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• Connect with the show: Watch the episode on YouTube; follow Maria Rio on LinkedIn for more conversations and resources. Or support our show. We are fully self-funded!
• Book a Discovery Call with Further Together: Need help with your fundraising? See if our values-aligned fundraisers are a fit for your organization.

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Feeling overwhelmed by current challenges in the nonprofit sector? In this episode, host Maria Rio sits down with Robyn Schwartz, historian-turned-fundraiser and co-founder of Dumbo Octopus Consulting, to explore how understanding historical patterns can help nonprofit leaders navigate today's uncertainty.

Robyn draws striking parallels between our current moment and the 1920s, explaining how cyclical patterns of economic instability, political shifts, and resource scarcity repeat throughout history—and what we can learn from them. She shares the powerful story of Canada's 1970 Abortion Caravan and the 18-year grassroots movement that led to landmark reproductive rights, demonstrating why playing the long game matters.

Connect with Robyn here: https://dumbooctopusconsulting.com/

Support the show

• Connect with the show: Watch the episode on YouTube; follow Maria Rio on LinkedIn for more conversations and resources. Or support our show. We are fully self-funded!
• Book a Discovery Call with Further Together: Need help with your fundraising? See if our values-aligned fundraisers are a fit for your organization.

Send us a text

Ever wondered why some donors stick around for decades while others disappear after one gift? Join Maria Rio and Caitlin McBride as they break down the eight psychological and social reasons people actually donate to nonprofits. They tackle everything from the power of peer-to-peer fundraising (hint: 80% are brand new donors) to why guilt-based appeals only work once, why your 50th anniversary isn't a fundraising strategy, and how to diagnose exactly where your donor retention is leaking. If you've ever wondered why people aren't giving to your organization despite doing great work, this episode gives you the framework to stop guessing.

Support the show

• Connect with the show: Watch the episode on YouTube; follow Maria Rio on LinkedIn for more conversations and resources. Or support our show. We are fully self-funded!
• Book a Discovery Call with Further Together: Need help with your fundraising? See if our values-aligned fundraisers are a fit for your organization.